Ulundhu kali is a traditional and nutritious recipe made in south Indian households for it's health benefits, particularly for women. Learn how to make ulutham kali with full video, Step by step pictures post.
You can make this monthly once or twice as it helps a lot for women as a support during menstruation.
Check out my Uluntham kanji and ulundhu urundai for other ways to include ulundhu in your diet.
About
I have had ulundhu kali few times before marriage, not a big fan of it as taste is the first preference those times. In recent times, amma keeps insisting to include urad dal whenever I complain about back pain.
She makes sure, every visit she makes ulundhu urundai and passes to me. Even my in-laws love it. But I have been lazy to prepare ulundhu kali, only once or twice have tried.
Many reader friends have asked me to share this recipe. So I thought it's high time for me to learn, make, to post as well.
Do include this once in a month atleast for your well being. I have prepared with karupatti as I had in stock and wanted to make use of it, but you can prepare with jaggery as my mom does.
Karupatti is less sweet comparatively, so adjust the quantity accordingly.
Make sure to use good, chemical free products, chekku nallenei (cold pressed) to get the fullest health benefits.
Rice is added as thickening agent so that the kali is not too much of gooeyness. Otherwise it's just optional. Again I have used rice in the recipe, but you can replace with rice flour too. If you have store bought urad dal floor, you can use it too.
Ingredients & it's Health benefits
Ulundhu kali made for its health benefits, especially for women:
- Urad dal, the main ingredient is rich in protein, iron and calcium. So it strengthens hip, thus eliminates back ache, prevents anemia and fatigue, during menstrual cycle as well as for those sitting for long time continuously.
- Sesame Oil - Anti inflammatory, rich in essential fatty acids, calcium and zinc, thus helps with inflammation, cramps and hormonal imbalance.
- Jaggery - Or karupatti (Palm Jaggery) - natural sweeteners comparatively gives more nutrition than the regular sugar.
- Thus ulundhu kali is given during puberty in girls as well as during menstrual cycle as it strengthens back, hip and prevents periods related issues.
Check out my recipe card below for full measurements.
Step by step pictures
- First and foremost, dry roast urad dal in a pan until golden in colour. Following that, in the same pan dry roast rice until slightly golden.
2. Then, cool down, powder finely together.
3. Following that, heat a pan with jaggery, ½ cup water. Once it boils, add the powdered urad dal mixture. Then switch off the stove and stir briskly with whisk. Keep stirring furthermore until smooth.
4. Again add ¼ cup water and mix well. Next, start heating again, add 2 more tablespoon of water once that extra liquid is incorporated. Stir furthermore in medium flame.
5. Then add one tablespoon of oil at a time and mix. Once cooked and all the 3 tablespoons of oil are added, try touching the mixture with water smeared hands. Eventually, it should not stick to your hand and resembles halwa. Finally, switch off the stove.
Storage
I suggest preparing in small quantities, finish it without refrigerating. Though it won't get spoiled, tastes better without refrigeration.
When refrigerated, the texture gets more grainy and dry making it less sweet as well.
FAQ
Yes you can use ghee or mixture of both but sesame oil is best and as per tradition latter is only added.
I do this to avoid lump formation.
Check out my karupatti paniyaram
Ulundhu kali preparation in tamil, click here
You can make balls and serve too, but I have like to spoon it and have from a bowl.
Recipe card
Ulundhu kali recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Urad dal
- 1 tablespoon Rice
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp Jaggery/ karupatti powdered
- 3 tablespoon Sesame oil
Instructions
- Dry roast urad dal in a pan until golden in colour.
- In the same pan dry roast rice until slightly golden.
- Cool down, powder finely together.
- Heat a pan with jaggery, ½ cup + 2 tablespoon water.
- Once it boils, add the powdered urad dal mixture. Switch off the stove and stir briskly with whisk.
- Keep stirring until smooth. Again add ¼ cup water and mix well.
- Start heating again, add 2 more tablespoon of water. keep stirring in medium flame.
- Add one tablespoon of oil at a time and mix. Once cooked and all the 3 tablespoon is added, try touching the mixture with water smeared hands, it should not stick to your hand and resembles halwa.
- Switch off the stove.
Video
Notes
- Using whisk prevents lump formation.
- You can use ready made urad dal flour too but make sure to roast until golden in colour.
- While roasting, keep stirring all the times so that it doesn't get burnt and gets evenly roasted.
- Add more oil if needed.
- Since I used cold pressed sesame oil, I felt a very slight bitterness. but not prominent.
Gomathy Rajkumar says
Yes it's good for ladies we eat during cycle and fully nutritious we prepare with whole black lentil and red rice make much more flavorful
Saranya D says
How many days can we store this?
Rajee says
Awesome. I made this the same way. But always waiting for your version.
Raks Kitchen says
Its best when had same day. If stored in fridge, reheat and eat. Otherwise wont be tasting good.
Raks Kitchen says
I make without rice too, will try with red rice.Thank you
Raks Kitchen says
🙂
Jane says
Tried this today..Came out very well.thanks for the recipe.
Unknown says
my mom will add few badam while grinding the powder.which helps to improve the taste.. nice post
Harini Kumarasamy says
Hai Raji super....actually v make ulundhu kanji only tis method s different for me...
esther says
My mother makes it often but I never tried. How to go about soaking method
Raks Kitchen says
Oh, thanks a lot for the prompt feedback.
Raks Kitchen says
Roasting works well as it gives flavour to the dish, otherwise will have too raw smell.
Raks Kitchen says
Nice addition. Thanks for the idea
Raks Kitchen says
Thank you Harini
Preethi says
Awesome recipe ..... waiting to try this . Can we have this when we are pregnant
Raks Anand says
I hope you can have, just make sure to reduce black pepper and red chilli as well as make sure it is cooked properly as it gives heartburn a lot and times digestion problem. Limit to one and reduce spice 🙂
Sathya Jegan says
Is it good for boys also?
Raks Anand says
Why not, just protein right? 🙂
Saum says
I made it today and it turned out well. Thank you so much for the detailed recipe.
Raks Anand says
Thank you 🙂
Abi Sirpi says
I tried this recipe today and it came out well.
Your instructions and ingredients for every recipe is very precise. There are so many YouTube channels with cooking videos but it was first your blog that many people reached out to few years back before these channels. I wish you become popular in YouTube as well. Good luck.
Raks Anand says
Thank you Abi 🙂 Will try my best 🙂
Jayapriya says
I’m not a person who generally comments on cooking blogs. But if I avoid commenting for this recipe it will be a crime. I have tasted ulundhu kali but I don’t like the taste. Thought of trying it on my own as I had purchased fresh palm jaggery. My god, what a taste and aroma. Followed the recipe with full stops and commas , it turned out just top class. Thanks a lot for this amazing recipe. ❤️
Raks Anand says
Yay! Thank you so much 🙂 Your comment means a lot to keep me going! Glad you did 🙂